Sprinkler



J. R. MEAnowcRoFT. l

SPRINKLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I9. i915.

lFig-1. Fig-a,

uw .rfi-W5 n' Patnd Feb. 7, 1922.

JOHN R. MEADOWCROFT, OF MONTREAL,

ASSIGNMENTS,`TO GENERAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER N. Y., A CORPORATIONVOF NEWYORK.

QUEBEC, CANADA, AssIGNOR, BY MEsNE- CQMPANY0F NEW-YORK,

srnmxnnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

IApplication led vApril 19, 1915. Serial lo/22,529.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

`Be it known that I, JOHN RoBnR'r MEADOW- cRoFT, of the city ofMontreal, Province `of Quebec, Canada, have invented certaln new anduseful Improvements in Sprinklers; and l do hereby declare that thelfollowing is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

My invention relates particularly to sprinkler heads for fire protectionsprinkler systems. t

Briefly stated my sprinklerhead comprises a thermo-disruptive strutconsisting of a main member and a throw-off memberV and a key, theinvention residing in Vthe manner in which these parts are assembled andsoldered together; the object being to enable a reliable fusibleconnection to be made.

The invention consists in a combinedA bearing and overhanging detentdevice at one end of the main member, the bearing point being in thelcenter-line ofthe member, the oppositeV end of the throw-off memberhaving a bearing device which isoffset across and is 'located beyond thecenter-line of the main member, while the key lies flat upon thethrow-off"` member and engages the over'- hanging detent. The length ofthis key must be carefully determined in order to cause the solderconnection between it and the throw-off member to resist the throw-offpower of the water Vpressure-until the predetermined abnormaltemperature Vis reached.

For full comprehension, however of my invention reference must be had tothe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar reference characters indicate the same parts and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sprinkler head provided with myinvention;

Fig. v2 isa similarview of the opposite side;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view thereof; taken on lineA A Fig. 1;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views illustrating the members of thethermo-disruptive strut by which the valveis held on its seat; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the valve and the non-corrodibleWashers separating the valve from its seat.

The sprinkler head to which my' invention has particular-'reference isessentially ofthe type comprising a base b containing avalve r` PatentedFeb. '7,- 1922i seat, a frame c ofarch form separablyv connectedthereto, and a thermo-disruptive strut adapted under normal conditionsto retain the valve o n its seat, and upon an abnormal rise intemperature to' become dismembered and release the valve.

My improved thermo-disruptive strut '3' consists of a main member athrow-off member and a key. The main member 6 has at its upper end acombined bearing yanddetent device f, a depression gin the top whereofaffords a seat for the-bearing flange h Within the arch of the frame,while afturned down lip z' serves as a detent. yThe throw'off memberconsists of a leverjhaving" one end offset as at n to present anoff-'centered flange n; and thekey is in the form lof a flat rigid plateo having one end ladapted to engage the detent-lip z -whileitsmaj'or'portion'lies in flat contact with one face of the throw-offmember/m. f; v

In order to regulate the power of-'thekey to hold thethrow-offmember tothemain member and consequently preventdismemberment of ytheVthermo-disruptive strut while` normal temperature maintains, fthe areaof the key must be in laccordance withy the water' pressure and thedegree of abnormal temperature at which` thel sprinkler is requiredtowork. By actual test I have found that a key presenting-a face'be'aringapproximately 5vof the flat facejof` the throw-off member will beeffective with low fusing solderl adapted to fuse 'at a temperapressure(of say 250 pounds) in a nozzle of one half inch.

To facilitate the assembling and correct heit); and thel ulcruln of thethrQWQ 90 ture of say o Fahrenheit against water i i' member being atone end of the main member and the fulcrum of the key at the other, the`maximum leverage, due to the off cen-V tering of the member of theVthermo-disruptive strut, is exerted upon the solder-held keyconsequently the latter requires to exert but slight leverage to retainthe parts in their assembled relation, and, at the Same time, -Whenthesolder is fused, the particular arrangement of the parts ensures theirquick response and the instantaneous olisv member-ment, ofthe strut andrelease of the Valvev .My improved kvalve seatis a diaphragm having aperipheral yflange 3 adapted to be clamped betvveen the base -b andframe e,

. While the 4seat is located at the level of the bottom of recess. inthe base and inclined upl Wardly at a slight angle to .the centre whichVhas an opening 5 the edge whereof is turned inas at 6 for reinforcementpurposes. This A.opening isthe port and the reinforced edge is thevalve-seat.l i K The valve is of brass and lthe diaphragm .ofphosphor-bronze, the valve being concavedin its underside and formedwith a diametrical flange 7 having a longitudinal groove 8 in which therounded edge of flange 'n' isseatedmThe effect is that there are nosurfaces contiguous to the point at which the thermo-disruptive strutmakes contact with ,the valves-for dust and dirt to collectupon,

Vretained in `iXed relation by a `single application of solder.

Theinclination of the diaphragm imparts .to it the form `of a depressedtruncated cone the centre of which is thev valve seat, and the functionof it is to afford a certain .measure of resilience when the parts areassembled and rebounds Whenthe solder Vis Ydisrupted thereby augmentingthe disruptive action.

What I claim is as follows 1. An automatic sprinkler comprising a bodyportion provided with an outlet, a frame, a valve for closing saidoutlet, and avalve-holding Vdevice interposed between said frame andsaid valve, said valve-holding device embodying a post-member, alever-.member and akey-member, said postmember being provided with aplate having a lip forming a fulcrum for said key-member and having adepression arranged to be engaged by said frame. f

2. An automatic sprinkler comprising -a body portion provided with anoutlet, a frame, a valve, for closing said outlet, and a valve-.holdingvdevice interposed between said frame and said valve, said valvehold ingdevice embodying a post-member, a le-v ver-member and a key-member,saidV postmember being provided at its upper end With a plate having alip forming a fulcri'un for said key-member and having a depressionarranged to be engaged by said frame.

3. In a sprinkler head, a bearing flange, a thermo-disruptive strutcomprising a pair of plate of ogee curvature presenting a concavesurface adapted to be engaged by said bearing flange and havingitsturneddown portion adapted to actas afdetent, such plate beinglocated at the extreme yupper end of one of such overlapping memberswith its detent portion overhanging the top of the other member andadapted to act as a detent for the locking memben.

In testimony whereof I have signed my .overlapping members, a lockingmember, a

nameto this specification in the presence of f tivo Witnesses.

' JOHN R. MEADOWCROFT. IVitnesses: Y Y

VILLIAM HnWn'rsoN, GORDON G. COOKE.

